More about me - following Terry's lead

So Terry started it by telling us about her background and I think it's a lovely idea.

I have been drawing pretty much as long as I can remember. I was one of those children who got art supplies as Christmas and birthday gifts..every year of my life (and to this day in fact that is my gift I know I will always get). I drew a lot because I enjoyed it and also because my home life wasn't really "peachy" and I used it as an escape.

I didn't have a lot of "formal" art education in my growing up years. I drew what I saw and liked and experimented on my own. When I was in high school I took art classes and entered competitions and usually walked away doing quite well but because I was REALLY focused on competing horses my art always took a back seat. When I did draw..I drew horses but I am sure that's not a surprise. I did take a few summer art classes at the senior citizens center. My grandfather was a regular there so I was able to go to the classes and they had my artwork hanging on the walls in my own little exhibition. I even sold my first piece there.

I did do one of those "draw this figure and send it in" deals you see in the magazines and surprisingly had an actual recruiter come out and request that I bring my portfolio. We went and he looked through my portfolio and gave me all kinds of information on the school and he felt I would be a great fit. I can't remember where the school was but it was back east somewhere. We decided not to do it because of expense mainly but it felt good to be recognized for my art. My senior year my art teacher wrote a glowing recommendation for me and I got an art scholarship to ENMU.

Off to college I went and after my first year I knew I was in the wrong wrong major. I was raised on ranch with a very straight laced upbringing and going to that college with some VERY quirky art students really threw me for a loop. I felt like a fish out of water. I stuck it out for one more year before I changed majors. From that point on life took over and my art took a back seat again...for pretty much 10 years or better I did almost NOTHING artistically. I worked as a vet assistant, a data entry clerk, a legal secretary and went to school on the side. Finally got my degree in Natural Resources and spent 8 years as a park ranger. Had my kid and decided I needed to have a job with regular hours so now I work for the State. I picked up my pencil again seriously about the time I joined this group...somewhere around 2011. Now with my kid getting older and being more active in different things it is harder and harder to find time to draw..so, as you know, I draw on my lunch hours at work.

I hope to never let there be that long of a lapse with my drawing again. I think I could be farther along than I am now had I continued to draw..but there isn't anything to change that..you just move forward..learn from others and hopefully improve with each and every drawing!

Hopefully more of our members will post little artist bios as well!